Bridging Awe and Algorithm

I don’t consider myself to be a technology evangelist. This may be unusual since technology has played a tremendous role in my life. I founded a company that built the AI tool that tracked the Chinese balloon back to its launch site, descended 12,500 feet in a three-person submersible supporting robotic exploration of the Titanic, and led a team that 3D laser-scanned Mount Everest by helicopter. Still, I see technology only as a tool rather than something of intrinsic value to be evangelized.

Technology has always been a double-edged sword. For every remarkable innovation, there is the shadow of misuse or unforeseen consequences. Yet from my vantage point, as an explorer and tech company founder, I’ve seen technology’s potential to illuminate, connect, and inspire. I’ve also witnessed its challenges and complexities. But time and again, I’ve come to believe that the opportunities it offers far outweigh the risks.

It is feasible we are close to seeing the rise of artificial general intelligence that could begin to learn, reason, and solve problems at a human or super-human level.

One personally profound example of technology’s potential is a project that took me deep into one of the world’s most sacred spaces: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This ancient structure, believed by many to house the tomb of Christ, has drawn pilgrims and tourists for centuries. Yet for the many millions of people who cannot visit, its mysteries and beauty are out of reach. Working with National Geographic and using advanced 3D digitization technology, my wife and I captured the intricate details of the church and its tomb. The data was transformed into an interactive exhibit that allowed millions of visitors at the National Geographic Museum (as well as via a phone-based VR app) to virtually experience the site as if they were walking through the structure themselves.

This wasn’t just about preserving history; it was about sharing a deep sense of awe (whether historic, cultural, or religious). Here technology enabled us to transcend physical and cultural barriers, fostering a deeper connection to a place that holds significance for so many. For me, it served as a powerful reminder of how technology, when used thoughtfully, can bring us closer together and bridge divides.

These days, of course, we can’t talk about the future of technology without addressing the elephant in the room: artificial intelligence. In its current state, AI is still a machine, incapable of self-directed decision-making or goal-setting outside of a purely algorithmic sense. Some tools such as ChatGPT give the appearance of more advanced abilities, but really, for as amazing as this technology is, it is still just an algorithm. When you ask ChatGPT a question, it doesn’t think. It looks at where your question lands in a mathematical space and gives an answer that is nearby in this space to your question.

If it is technically feasible for us as a species to build an artificial general intelligence, it stands to reason that the same sense of collaboration that has served us well as humans could fuel a cross-intelligence collaboration between AI and humanity to our potentially immense benefit.

However, it is feasible we are close to seeing the rise of artificial general intelligence (AGI) that could begin to learn, reason, and solve problems at a human or super-human level. In fact, in January of 2024 (already a lifetime ago in terms of AI advancement), a survey of 2,778 AI researchers showed that in aggregate, they believed that “if science continues undisrupted, the chance of unaided machines outperforming humans in every possible task was estimated at 10% by 2027, and 50% by 2047.”

Given the impact that this could have and the relatively short timeline, it is no wonder that debates over AGI often veer into extremes. On one side, there are fears of a dystopian future where super-intelligent AI replaces all of our jobs or even threatens our very survival as a species. In the other camp, AI is heralded as a potential savior, solving some of our biggest problems, from curing disease to solving climate change.

I see this in another light. Humanity has always progressed through collaboration—between individuals, communities, companies, and nations. We gather in cities because working and living together makes our lives easier and more purposeful. We form trade alliances because cooperation across borders yields mutual benefit. We build companies and research institutes because combining our talents unlocks new possibilities. We marry, we partner, we team up because we know intuitively that synergy often yields something greater than the sum of its parts.

If it is technically feasible for us as a species to build an artificial general intelligence, it stands to reason that the same sense of collaboration that has served us well as humans could fuel a cross-intelligence collaboration between AI and humanity to our potentially immense benefit.

We may not know exactly what the future holds, but one thing is clear: it will be shaped by how we choose to use and guide the technological tools at our disposal. Let us choose to use them wisely, boldly, and with the belief that, together, we can build a brighter tomorrow.  

Corey Jaskolski is the founder of RAIC Labs, a leading US artificial intelligence company.

Cover photo: Copyright (c) 2024 Anggalih Prasetya/Shutterstock. No use without permission.